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Day Twenty-Seven Monster University: Jon

Jon
Monster University
Katherine Rochholz
All Rights Reserved


            “I hate humans! They think just because we weren’t born we are monsters! I see it every Halloween or when Hollywood wants to romanticize us as being misunderstood! Well, we are but that is beside the point. None of us asked for an undead life… well that isn’t true there are a few monsters that hunted for immortality and gained it. Some of us didn’t even ask to exist! I mean it wasn’t like I told Count Johann Ferdnand Von Kustien to create me! I didn’t ask for visions of those who are horrible people, dishonest and allowing violence to take over. I didn’t ask to have to fight to the death of all my 9 siblings just to live! I don’t ask to have to drink the blood of forty humans a year around Halloween and into Thanksgiving. But I must if I want to pass for a little person. I mean even with my magic I am no taller than four foot. In my natural form I am about a foot tall. But I am deadly. Sometimes I wonder if it was worth the fight to live; just to be surrounded by all this death. But then again I am not totally moral either so I can’t say anything. Even if I spend my days preaching it.”
            “Pastor Jon!” A voice yelled out for him.
            Jon turned around. “Oh Richard how are you?”
            “Fine, fine, do you have time to hear a confession?”
            “Of course Richard.” Jon stated with a smile. He didn’t know why he chose this lot when they moved. Maybe because his last college degree was in religions. But having someone in the church allowed for suspension to be thrown away from them; after all, who didn’t believe the word of the town pastor?
            Richard looked relieved and went into the confessional. “Forgive me for I have sinned, it has been a few years since my last confession.”
            Jon listened to his minor offenses and then he heard Richard’s voice catch and a hesitation to continue. Ooo… What juicy secret did Richard have? Jon knew he had an off feeling about him, but with so many people in the town it was hard for him to pinpoint exactly who the evil ones were, which is why being the pastor was another bonus. Confessions! It allowed him to find his forty victims and spread them through October and November. He was up to thirty nine down and needed only one more and it wasn’t even close to the end of November yet. Boy, do college towns really bring out the horrible, dishonest, violent, amoral people of the world. “Go on Richard, I am not here to judge, to just listen and give you your penance.”
            Richard nodded to himself. “You see Pastor, I was cheating on my wife… with another man and when that man wanted to go public…” Richard paused again and swallowed. “I killed him. I killed him so he wouldn’t mess up this perfect suburban life I lead. I had loved him… but he was going to tell my wife! My wife would have taken my money when she left!”
            Jon raised an eyebrow. He knew Richard and his wife had three children, but that wasn’t the reason he gave for not wanting his wife to leave. No, he said money. “Richard, you should confess to the police. But that is up to you. For your penance I give you one hundred service hours to the church and a dozen rosaries before bed, every night for a year.”
            “Thank you Pastor!” Richard stated and left.
            Jon rolled his eyes as he locked up the church. He swore the mortals were getting worse and worse with each passing year. The corruption, lies, murders, other violent crimes, they were always on the rise and there seemed to be no end in sight. Sometimes it hurt Jon’s very being, for all he has done and does in his created, artificial, messed up undead life, he was a somewhat of a gentle soul. He shook his head to clear his thoughts, in a few days he would kill Richard, drink his blood and get on with this undead life. At least there would be one less amoral man on the street. Killing the one he loved just because of money. It made Jon sick. He looked at the time. He had some time to get to Morgan’s or Jo’s. It would depend on where the other monsters were tonight. He got in his car and drove to his house to change.
            A couple hours later he walked into Morgan’s. He nodded to Morgan and took a seat in the back. “Hey.” He greeted as he sat down.
            Ewan nodded. “When are you going to do your last?” He asked bluntly.
            “Wow, what has your panties in a twist?” Jon asked as he smiled at the waitress coming over.
            “Tony took off and left a mess at his cabin. He hasn’t even cleaned it up yet. And I have families breathing down my neck.”
            Jon winced. For as good as Tony was as a cleaner when it came to his own kills he was a procrastinator to the extreme. “That is never good.”
            Ewan nodded as he finished his beer as the waitress came up. “Another one please Suzie.” He stated.
            “Of course detective. And for your Pastor?”
            “Oh I will take my normal dear. Morgan, makes such lovely meals.”
            “Of course Pastor! Anything to drink?”
            “Red wine.” Jon smiled. “House is fine.”
            “Right away sirs!” Suzie bounced off.
            “So?” Ewan asked when she left.
            “Few days. Bastard was the one behind the death of that nice boy, the one that was kicked out by his family for being gay.”
            “Damn. Wanted to arrest the one who killed Bobby. Who was it?”
            “Richard Gray.”
            “The one married to what’s her face with three kids? Why he kill him?”
            “They were sleeping together and Bobby wanted to make it public. Richard killed him so his wife wouldn’t take his money. Not his kids, not his rep, but his money. Sick bastard.”
            Ewan nodded. “So when you going to drain him?”
            “About a week. Want to let him put his guard back down. He knows we are friends and he thinks I might tell you.” Jon shrugged. “Let him think that he is going to get away with it, and then I will take him out.”
            Ewan nodded. “Good plan.” He stated. Suzie came back then with his beer and Jon’s soup.
            Jon smiled. “Thank you Suzie.” He stated as he looked at the blood pudding soup that Morgan made him. After all he may only need to drain forty humans and drink their blood, but he still loved blood. Blame the way he was created.
            “I still don’t see how you can eat and drink that.” Ewan shuddered.
            “Isn’t my fault that I am a homunculus; I mean come on I was created by being fed human blood for forty weeks. I mean come on man you know my creation was messed up, created in a pumpkin inside a horse’s womb, had to kill my nine siblings to live. And now because of that I have to have the blood of forty humans between October first and November thirtieth.” Jon shrugged. “Because of being feed that blood for forty weeks as I killed my siblings I have a craving for blood, even if I do only kill the minimum needed.” He stated as he spooned the blood soup into his mouth.
            Ewan shuddered. “No offense Jon but your creator was more messed up than Viktor Frankenstein.”
            Jon laughed. “You got that right. Which is why I killed him.”
            “Ewan shook his head. “You are insane.”
            Jon just nodded. And they finished their meal in silence. The one thing about the other monsters was that they could sit in silence and not feel the need to fill it. Oh they were social creatures just like humans, it was just that the things that would bother a human, silence, awkward conversations, taboo subjects, they didn’t bother monsters. They got over that in there centuries long lives. When they finished they said their good byes and went to do their own business. The Undead life was good.
            At the end of the week he saw that Richard had dropped his guard. He smirked. Time to drain him. The wrongness of Richard just kept grating on his nerves now that he could tell what it was about him that he hated. Jon followed Richard from the bank to where the bar. Jon smirked. Jo would wipe the footage if there was any, either that or doctor it so well that the courts would never know; Jo was a succubus of many, many talents. So Jon sat at the end of the bar and waited.
            It was just after two and Richard was walking home when Jon grabbed him. He used his magic to immobilize him. He used it to drag Richard to the roods near the river. Once he had him tied down Jon transformed into his actual self at about a foot tall with razor sharp teeth. “You have been a naughty boy Richard. You killed an innocent. For that I will have to take your life and your life force.” Jon stated as he took in the fear in Richard’s eyes.
Richard knew he was going to die and as Jon’s fangs entered his neck he wished he could scream at the pain but he had been silenced.
            It took a few hours for Jon to drain Richard but soon every last drop was gone from his body. He used magic to cover the wound and then used the magic to put water in his lungs. He then rolled the body into the river. He smirked and used his magic to go to his taller height again. He dusted off his hands and took a deep breath as the life force of the forty over the month flowed through him and boosted his powers once more. He took another deep breath and then walked out of the woods whistling. Yep, his artificially began existence wasn’t so bad. If it wasn’t for the humans and the dependency that monsters had for them it would almost be perfect. Jon made his way home and sat down with a mug of blood cocoa and his favorite book. Another year until he had to begin again, but for now he could relax and enjoy his monstrous existence.

Day Twenty-Six Monster University: Kristoff

Kristoff
Monster University
Katherine Rochholz
All Rights Reserved


            “Today my precious would have been 975 years old. My daughter that my wife killed. I had to bargain with my contract wife to even have my child. It cost me much but my daughter was worth it. She was worth everything I ever had in this world. Everything I have now I would trade for my daughter back by my side. I am still working on a way to bring me back my daughter. I will find a way. I will have my child back by my side once more, which is why her body is preserved by my magic and taken with me everywhere. When she was born so pretty and perfect; my wife became jealous. And when I allowed my child to marry for love my wife went crazy and killed my daughter and her groom, whom I also preserved. I, of course, turned around and killed her. Of course, being a warlock my grief drove me further into the Black Arts. I ended up gaining an immortality I don’t want, at the cost of killing the woman who have recently given birth. I sometimes wonder if I should stop and allow death to take me; but then I think of my wife and I can’t. I think of what if those mothers would grow envious and kill their daughters. No man should ever be in this amount of pain and grief. That and the Black Arts flowing through my veins would deny me my death and just end up driving me insane until I drained the lives of the town. After all if I am dead I can’t find a way to bring back my daughter and son in law.”
            Kristoff looked up at his door opening. “Ah, Jean! I see you are about to pop any day now.” He greeted his assistant.
            “Yes, Mr. Mayor.”
            “Ah, Jean haven’t I told you to call me Kristoff? I may be the town mayor but I am still your friend.  Jeff excited about your daughter?”
            “More so than I am at times.” Jean sighed. “Here are the papers you have to sign off on sir.”
            Kristoff took the papers and with a bit of magic looked into her thought of her jealousy that her husband seemed to love the unborn child more than her. Well that won’t do. Looks like he found the next sacrifice to his immortality. He could easily replace her; she was good, but not the best assistant. In fact, he cleaned up more messes that she caused than he cared too; so in the end her death would just be a benefit. Kristoff smiled at her. “That will be all Jean. Today is your last day correct?”
            “Yes, the caesarian is set for tomorrow.” Jean forced a smile and waved a goodbye to her boss. It was an easy job and she was afraid that she would be replaced while she was out having this brat.
            Kristoff sneered behind her back. Women like that deserved to have their life force taken, before they could hurt their precious child. He looked down at the paperwork, he sighed. But being mayor did allow him a lot of power to help his fellow monsters. He wished women like that were unable to have children. He knew a lot of women who deserved children who couldn’t have them. It wasn’t fair; even if some of them were monsters. He finished his paperwork and looked at the clock. He had some time to see if he could figure a way to revive his daughter and son in law. He got up and putting on his suit jacket and a smile he left the office.
            Kristoff was almost to his car when he bumped into Beth and Bo. “Good Evening Bo, Beth.”
            “Good Evening Kristoff.” Bo stated with his arm around Beth’s waist.
            “Yes, good evening Kristoff.” Beth smiled. “Off to do more research?”
            “As always Beth.” Kristoff smiled, he was glad those two finally got their heads out of their asses and got together; though it was mostly Bo, Beth was an old fashioned woman even if she didn’t seem it.
            “We, meaning Frank and I, think we may have something. You see the reason we have to update our body pieces is because of the fact Frank never existed before, and my soul had moved on before being dragged back, but you trapped your daughter’s and son’s souls before they could move on correct?”
            Kristoff nodded. Not his proudest moment but he couldn’t let them go. They were all he loved in the world. “That is correct Beth. I preserved them and trapped their souls from moving on, so they never left this plane.”
            Beth nodded. “I think if we do a mix of the ritual that Frank and I do, the electricity and jolting the body back to life, and mixing it with your ritual that caused your immortality we could wake them up. And then you can have your daughter and her groom back.” Beth smiled. She always wanted the monsters in their ‘family’ happy… well except Kat, that witch could fry for all she cared.
            Kristoff looked excited. “Really? You really think it would work?”
            Beth smiled. “I do. I mean the science, math, and magic behind the mixed rituals is sound. It couldn’t hurt to try at all. If it fails that means we are one step closer to an answer. Do you have a person you were about to drain?”
            “Yes, she gives birth tomorrow.”
            “When you go to drain her, instead of taking the soul within yourself place it in this bottle, don’t ask me where I go it.” Beth handed him a bottle that was etched with soul trapping runes, including both angelic and demonic runes.
            Kristoff looked at it and then her. “I don’t want to know. Don’t even want to hazard a guess, I am just going to nope out on that question.” He stated.
            Bo laughed. “Good idea on that Kristoff. Wished I had noped out.”
            Beth rolled her eyes. “Anyways, you need one other soul. There is another woman giving birth tomorrow, don’t worry Kristoff, I already checked she would hate her daughter as her husband already adores her.”
            Kristoff nodded. “Good. Good. So take both and put them in here. What about mine?”
            Beth smiled and patted his cheek. “I already have a soul from a few months back for you. Don’t worry Kristoff, you just let Beth take care of everything.”
            Kristoff shook his head and laughed. “Seriously, I have no idea how it took so long for the two of you to get together, you are the mother of the monsters and he is the father.”
            Bo and Beth laughed with him. “See you tomorrow night Kristoff.” Beth stated as a goodbye and Bo waved.
            Kristoff looked at the vial and smiled. The first solid plan in centuries. He couldn’t wait. His daughter and her husband were soon in his grasp. He smiled and hummed and sang all the way home. He couldn’t wait until tomorrow night.
            The night came and went to the hospital he dropped his glamour and looked every bit the warlock war lord he was in life. He smirked as he glided along the corridors into Jean’s room. Her daughter was crying. Jean looked through a magazine.
            “Shut up you annoying brat. Your father will be back soon.” Jean sneered.
            Kristoff made himself known. “Hello Jean. And hello pretty darling.” He smiled at the little baby girl. “Aren’t you perfect?” He laid his hand on the child’s chest. “Calm sweetie, your daddy will be back soon. He loves you so.” He knew too because he viewed the thoughts of both fathers today on his lunch break.
            Jean glared at him. “Who are you?”
            Kristoff smirked. “Oh my dear Jean, you don’t recognize your boss?” He slide up to her side and grabbed her throat in his fist. “You would have hated and abused your daughter. I can’t allow a woman like you to exist.” He growled out and squeezed. “Soul of this wrench come to me. Come from her depths and into this vial to be used to bring back one who was taken by a wrench long before her time.” He chanted as Jean’s life force left through her mouth and floated like water into the vial. Jean gasped her last breath and Kristoff dropped her body. He calmed the child once more before putting a spell on her to sleep until her father came. He then went down the hall and took the second soul and calmed and put the young daughter to sleep in that room as well. The world was better off without those women that would have turned out as bad as his contract wife. He then went home to find Beth waiting.
            Beth had attached both bodies to the electrodes after installing one on each side of their necks, they were small and could be passed off or even hidden, unlike Frank’s, hers were the same. She had watched as Kristoff did the first part of the ritual using a potion with blood of the innocent mixed with about a dozen herbs she could never name. The only thing left was to give the life force of the two that were taken to night at the same time she jolted the bodies alive. It would awaken the bodies and revive the souls giving them immortality.
            Kristoff looked at Beth and nodded. He was ready. “Life forces of the unworthy bring back life to these two worthy children, bring back the life of, Abellona and Amund! I beg thee powers that be, use these life forces of the unworthy to give life back to Abellona and Amund!” He let the life forces soak into their bodies.
            Beth waited for the right moment and then took the power of the city and jolted both bodies. She stopped and did it again. She stopped once more and did it one more time this time the longest, blower out the cities power. But she stopped and waited with Kristoff.
            Kristoff held his breath. This was the moment of truth. The moment he had been waiting for; since his wife had killed his children.
            It seemed like forever but then there were two loud gasps as both Abellona and Amund sat up. Abellona looked around and saw her father. “Papa!” She screamed and grabbed ahold of him. “I knew you could do it! I knew it! Oh thank you Papa!”
            Amund smiled and moved and hugged his father in law. “Yes, Papa, many thanks and you as well madam.”
            “Beth. Call me Beth dears.” She smiled. “Kristoff don’t worry about the paper work. Your daughter came back from college and brought her husband. They majored in English and Politics and we will get Abellona a job at the school and Amund a job with you.”
            Kristoff smiled and hugged Beth. “Thank you.”
            “No thanks needed. Now celebrate with your family before we have a full monster mash.” She smiled and left.
            Kristoff looked at his family and for the first time in centuries he was happy and whole. He just smiled and couldn’t believe how his undead life was no full and complete.

Day Twenty-Five Monster University: Bo

Bo
Monster University
Katherine Rochholz
All Rights Reserved



            “A lawyer. A law man. I never thought I would become this. But years ago, centuries really, when the monsters realized that they would have to be creative to exist in the normal world I was elected to become the go to for papers. I know how to forge things, though Sebastian helps a lot now a days as the number of monsters under our protection grows. After all I was an artist. I created many, many masterpieces, from music to paintings to fake papers. I was once the great artist Von Gogh at one time in my life! Okay so those ‘missing’ pieces are just new ones I created with my old paints. Money is money! I also was part of a one hit wonder band, also of a very popular band. I die very young all the time. And because I am just a bag of bones I make myself a new image each time! But sometimes I wonder if I am not more the parent than I am the lawyer with some of these monsters. I mean we all kill to survive. I am no different. After all human skin is quite a commodity. But at least I don’t have to keep going to school all the time. I just have to fix everything. And this time I don’t have my own persona besides being the lawyer in this town. No famous singer, no Darin is that this time, no famous artist, no famous writer, I am saddened by this; however, on the plus I get a peaceful twenty years at least and don’t have to die young this time.”
            Bo sighed as he looked at the papers he was creating for Frank; even if he had already had the meeting with him and Beth. Goddess help him but Beth could make him afraid of death and he was burned alive and left as nothing but a carcass that animals ate on leaving him as bones. Why would a monster want to raise a child?  He didn’t understand it; but he wasn’t meant to understand.  He was meant to make it happen.  He sipped his whiskey.  Hmm… Today was Friday.  Poker night.  He threw the papers into his desk drawer and grabbed his suit jacket, he would deal with this all another time. After all he would just forge dates if needed and nobody would be the wiser.
            He got to Jo’s and accepted the beer before he even went to toss his jacket up. “They back there yet Jo?”
            “Of course they are. Drinking and making noise. Keep them inline will ya Bo?”
            Bo laughed. “I will try but boys will be boys and it is poker night. The night most of us can be ourselves and not worry about make up or anything like that. Though Draco better be airbrushed the cheating ass.”
            Jo laughed and handed him a tray of beers. “Be a doll and take these back with you!”
            “I am a lawyer not a waiter!” He laughed, but took the tray and went into the back. “I have beers here!” He looked at the tray and lifted an eyebrow. “And a daiquiri?”
            “Mother is coming. Something about showing us men how to play a real game of poker.” Frank grunted as he took the daiquiri and beer.”
            “And where is the newest Frankenstein?”
            “She is with Jo. That way she is close by.” Lucas answered. “Should we go check her?”
            “Good Lord man you are more of a mother hen than I am! And I am her dad!” Frank laughed and handed Lucas a beer. “You know Jo won’t let a damn thing happen to Sophie. After all if she dead she better hope my mother gets ahold of her before you or I.” He growled at the thought. “Maybe we should go check her. Jo is friends with that bitch of a voodoo priestess.”
            Lucas smirked. “And now who is the mother hen?”
            Frank glared. “I will be right back. Bo, thanks again man.” He clapped Bo on the shoulder. “You know you can hang your skin up over there.” He pointed to the locker with Bo’s name on it.
            Bo nodded his thanks and moved over and slipped first out of his suit and then his meat suit. He chuckled at that. Meat suit. He looked it over there were a few spots that were weak. It was time to upgrade a bit. He could write it off as plastic surgery. After all Beth was one of the best in the country right now. He smirked. He wondered what look he should go for? He knew Beth and Frank would help him install the new skin. He would talk with them about it during the game. He walked back, his bones making a jangling noise as he walked. He sat down with a sigh. It was good to not have to be in that meat suit. “So what is the game of the night?” He asked.
            Beth came in then with Frank following behind her, Frank kept looking back. “Oh, Frank she is fine. And the game of the night is Texas Hold’em. Time to buy in boys.” She smiled as she took her drink and sat down. “Because I am going to show you how to play the game.”
            Bo laughed as everybody looked weary. But Draco, he just looked pissed. “What is up your ass Draco?”
            “I don’t want to be in my makeup.” He pouted.
            “Well you shouldn’t get caught cheating and then you wouldn’t have to be in your make up or a sheet.” Bo stated as he took the deck of cards. “Now stop pouting and act like the centuries old monster that you are and play the damn game.”
            Draco pouted for a bit longer until he was given his two cards and he sat up. He would show them he could win without cheating, then maybe next time he could be himself. “Call.” He threw in the chips.
            Bo was buzzed. “I need a new meat suit. Close to the last one. What do you think Beth? Frank?”
            “Shouldn’t be a problem. It would even be close enough I think that it would look like some mild middle age crisis work done.” Beth stated as she threw her cards down. “We would want to go to a big city to get a basic meat suit and then extra skin to patch and build you new suit.”
            Frank grunted as he threw his cards down hard. “We could fake an accident for you, that way people wouldn’t be shocked with a new look. Then you can write a book about your journey back with self-esteem. I know you miss having some type of creative outline. Then that non-fiction book out you can move into fiction.” Frank stated as he was glaring at his best friend who had been handing his ass to him all night. “Lucas I find out you are cheating…” He growled, leaving the threat hang in the air. Lucas just gave a wolfish grin and scooped up his chips.
            Beth shook her head. “That is a good idea Frankie!” She kissed her son’s cheek. “Let’s do it that way!”
            Bo thought about it, it would mean bandages, and a cover story for a couple months, but they were right and for Frank to figure out why he was depressed made him feel warm in his bones; it really did mean they cared for him like a family. “Yes that is good idea! We will go get the skin we need and then we will fake the crash.” He looked at his new cards. He groaned, he was really getting his ass handed to him tonight with these cards.
            Jo came in at about four in the morning. “You guys ever going home?”
            Most of the people had passed out or started to stagger out at this point. Bo stood. “Yeah, Frankie and Beth and I were just cleaning up.”
            Jo raised an eyebrow. Seriously Bo needed to make a move on Beth. And she knew Beth was waiting for him to do so. “Okay, here is the little monster princess.” She handed Frank his daughter.
            Frank nodded. “Thanks Jo. For a friend of that witch, you are okay.” He stated as he paid his tab with a generous tip and some extra for watching his daughter.
            “Well, you know me. Happy to help. And Kat can even annoy me at times so I understand. See you and Beth next time.” She stated.
            Beth nodded and smiled at Bo. “See you soon Bo.”
            Bo nodded. “See ya.” He waved them out.
            Jo waited until they were gone. She slapped him over the head. “When are you going to get off your fool ass and make a move on Beth? She is waiting on you.” She slapped him again.
            Bo looked out the door where Beth was getting in her car. “Really?”
            “I swear for a man who is older than most of us you have no clue when a woman is in love you with you. Now you make a move when you and her do what you both have to do, and I will make something up with Frank so you two have some alone time doing it.”
            Bo nodded. “Thanks Jo.”
            “Don’t mention it. Now go on and get.” Jo showed him from  her bar.
            Bo gave a smile and grabbed his suits and made his way home.
            Three weeks later Bo and Beth drove out to one of the larger cities around them. They had hunted down the people they wanted and carefully skinned them, leaving no traces that could lead back to them. On the way back Bo crashed his car right outside the city and a quick ride to the hospital the story was spread that Bo had been in a crash and was badly burned.
            Beth smiled as she worked on the suit. Jo had needed the boys’ help at the bar tonight so Frank wasn’t helping. But Beth was okay with that. She liked Bo. Liked him a lot. And wished he would make a move. She did the last stich and helped him into the new meat suit. Once it was on she checked for where some patches needed to be. After a full night and day of work she was done. She smiled. “There good as new.” She stated.
            Bo smiled as he looked in the mirror. “Very nice Beth. Very nice.” He then turned and grabbed her and kissed her. “Let me take you to dinner to show you how much I appreciate this… and you.” He kissed her again.
            Beth smiled and hid the blush rising to her cheeks. “I would love that Bo.” She stated. “But first I have to gauze you up.” She wrapped his face and hands in gauze. “You can take me out in a few days. For now you have to be a good patient and stay in the burn unit.”
            Bo sighed. “As you wish. But we are going to that new fancy Italian place.”
            Beth smiled and gave him a soft kiss. “As you wish as well Bo, as long as I am going with you.”
            Bo smiled and gave her another kiss. This undead life was finally looking up. He was going to be a writer again and now he had one of the best gals on his arm. Yeah, they were killers but one did what they must to exist in this world of monsters.

Day Twenty-Four Monster University: Viv

Viv
Monster University
Katherine Rochholz
All Rights Reserved

“Long ago I made a choice. But isn’t that how every story starts? A choice. A good choice. A bad choice? But it all starts with one choice. One moment of time. They say if you continue to look back to the past, ignore the present, you will never make it to the dawn of the future. Is that true? No. Well, not for me. I am immortal. A being. A water spirit that made a choice that changed the course of my existence. My choice? I gave Arthur his sword. I raised his right hand man, Lancelot ,giving Lancelot a ring to be immune to all magic. After all, I loved Lancelot as a son. I did raise him. I even gave Merlin his magic! But then the boy I raised betrayed my chosen warrior. My chosen king. When that happened my soul started to die. It turned dark. So now instead of just helping those that should make this world better, I will answer the requests of almost all. I make a deal now for their soul. They betray one person; even if it is a minor betrayal such as a lie, I gain their soul. After all I need the magic of souls to allow me to live outside of the lake being a water spirit. It used to be I could feed off a dozen souls a day, but people forget to ask the Lady in the Lake for a favor now. But there are still few and most of the time I now spend with other ‘Monsters’, after all they are my new family…”

Viv yawned as she waited for the order to come up. She worked with Morgan in the restaurant. It was convenient. She could leave if she got a request and it took care of her new family. She rolled her eyes as Cameron flirted with the mortal waitress that had their table tonight. She just kept an eye on the place and did the books normally but today three of their waitresses didn’t come in. One she knew about, that was the no call no show, and that is because Tony was taking care of Drake’s dinner leftovers. God, when did she become so blasé about death and murder? She used to be a being of the light! Goodness personified! And now she drains souls to live. She knew when she became a monster, but when did that blasé attitude happen? It must have sneaked up on her. She grabbed the plates as they came up and went and dropped them off at the table. She stopped by the boys’ table. “Boys.”

“Miss Viv.” Frank smiled.

“How are you doing Frankie?”

“Good. Mother is very excited about the new Frankenstein.”

“That is good. Very good. I am so happy for you. I am sure you will raise the child right.” The sadness in Viv’s voice couldn’t be hidden.

“Miss Viv, you aren’t still blaming yourself for Lancelot are you?” Carmeron turned from the waitress.

“I raised him. I must have done something wrong. I mean I ended up having to take that ring back and allowing him to be killed. He betrayed my warrior and king.”

“Wasn’t on you Miss Viv. Sometimes mortals are just rotten to the core. I mean sure we kill people sometimes, but we all have our reasons and we try to kill the guilty.” Lucas stated. “Now put that out of your mind and go on. I know Morgan is busy because three didn’t come in today.”

Viv patted the boys on the cheeks and went into the back. “Hey Morgan, did you find any new waitresses or waiters?”

“Yeah! They start tomorrow.” Morgan stated looking up from the books. “I am going to go spend some time with Gus as well. He said he wanted to try something, I think he went back to our old research.”

Viv smiled. She wished she could answer monsters’ requests. She would have given Morgan her baby. But she was forbidden from answering the request of a monster. “You two will get it. I know you will.”

“Thanks Viv.”

Viv got a call then. “I got a call. I will be back.” She touched her finger to the sink of water and turned into a water spirit and moved through the pipes and into the natural water source and back to her lake. She used her magic to change herself into a blue flowing gown. “Mortal, you request an audience with the Lady of the Lake?” She made her voice sound eternal and honey dipped.

“Dear Lady of The Lake, please. I need the power to help my brother become the ruler of my country. Please. There are many corrupt people in control. I need to fight them. I need to bring power back to the people. My brother has so many plans. He would be a grand ruler and I am a grand warrior.” The man was down on his knees. Begging. “You know the rules. You betray anybody, even a little lie, your soul becomes mine and you will die?”

“I understand my lady of the lake. I understand totally. I swear you will not be disappointed in me.” The man stated.

“What is your name?”

“Lance. Lance Allen.” He stated.

Viv tensed. She wanted to cry. Lance. Lancelot. She swallowed hard. She could deny him. She could send him on his way. Or she could try to give the name redemption. She could see if this man broke her heart like her own Lancelot did. She looked at the young man. She nodded. “I shall grant you your wish, though there will still be some work involved, I shall ease the way. Remember the punishment if you betray your people.” She placed a hand on his head and let her water wash over him filling him with her magic. She granted him the power to gain his wish. She looked at him one last time and disappeared back into the water. She prayed she wouldn’t have to take this young man’s soul. She hoped that she wouldn’t be torn in two by another Lance. She went back to Morgan’s office and sat there for a while getting her emotions under control. She looked up to see Morgan watching her.

“You give the person their wish? Why are you so upset?”

“Yeah, his name was Lance, and his wish was to help his brother take power.”

“Maybe this one won’t betray the magic you gave him. You never know. Have hope Viv.” Morgan squeezed her shoulder. “Go home and get some rest.”

“Thanks Morgan.” She tried to give a smile. She cleared her throat. “I will try. See you tomorrow.” Viv grabbed her jacket and keys and took off.

Over the next few months, she watched this man’s country. Watched him, watched him help his brother. He gave speeches, helped to get his brother in power. She watched as he and his brother took over the revolution over there. Watched as he won. Watched as he helped his brother take power. Watched as he started making his country for the people again. She was happy. It seemed like he was going to keep his promise. It seemed like power wasn’t going to go to his head. It seemed not all with the name Lance, or Lancelot, were out to break her heart. She smiled for the first time in centuries. She even was humming as she helped out at the restaurant. She watched him and felt pride.

One day she was doing the books when a blackness overcame her soul. One of her people had reneged on their vow to never betray anybody. To never even lie. She followed the strand and was standing in front of Lance. She had changed into her Lady of the Lake outfit of flowing blue dress. “Lance?”

Lance looked up from where the sword was buried in his best friend’s and brother’s chest. “He… He wasn’t going to share the power like he promised. He lied to me.” He tried to lie.

“Lance that is a lie. You wanted to be the one in power. You used your brother. You got your brother in power and were going to act like the enemy killed him. You were going to use that to take power. The mourning brother and nation. You killed him. Your brother. Your best friend. You broke your oath.”

Lance sneered at her. “I should have been in power. I gave everything, even my soul for this!” He tried to run at her with his sword. His sword entering her stomach. But she was a water spirit and it went right through. He looked at her with wide eyes.

Viv had tears in her eyes as she grabbed him by the throat and looked into his eyes. She drained him of his soul. The blackness of his soul entered her body. The mist of the soul mingling with the mist of her very being. Giving her life and power to do as she wished for more time on the mortal realm. Allowing her to leave her lake whenever she wished too. She let go once the soul was fully absorbed. The body fell to the ground and she looked down at it. Tears in her eyes but she refused to let them fall. She moved back towards her new town; but instead of going back to Morgan’s she went to her house and grabbed a photo and then moved back to her lake. She sat in the center of her lake, under it, allowing the water and the fish to flow through her. She had a magical protection around the picture, which was more a drawing than a photo, no matter how much digital technology was advanced. She looked at the image, it was of a young Arthur and Lancelot and her. The boys were wrapped around her and they had huge happy smiles. Excalibur upon Arthur’s waist and the ring that canceled all magic lay upon Lancelot’s finger. The drawing was done two days before Lancelot killed Arthur. Viv looked at the photo and waved her hand showing the images of all the souls she had taken and absorbed. She looked at them all, especially the newest Lance, and she finally let the tears fall and fill her lake with salt water…

Day Twenty-Three Monster University: Ajit

Ajit
Monster University
Katherine Rochholz
All Rights Reserved

“All those years ago I almost gave my life for the children. Then the village repaid me by killing me. Now I must sew my head on every morning. Now I have to live for eternity. Mostly because I demanded my revenge. I mean I almost die for the children as they were stolen from some humans to be used in some ritual? And then they turn around and call me a witch for being able to save the children? They behead me? They kill me? Of course I demanded my revenge! Okay now I admit I was what was called a gun for hire back when I was alive. Yes, I killed people for trade. Everybody had to make a living somehow and I chose that route. I also stole and cheated and killed for the hell of it. But never children! I mean come on where is the fun in going after someone weaker than you? No challenge at all! And well, kids are innocent and full of love and life. I could never kill a child. Now I have to live with this curse, eh it’s not so bad. I don’t mind it so much. I get to live history and see all the advancements made. I have learned many languages, lived many lives, and lived many places. I mean yeah I have to sew my head back on daily; and once a year I have to make someone pay for their crimes. But children are my only weakness. After all I was a known murderer back in my years of my living life. And Halloween, the start of a new year, is now upon us once more. Time for my fun!”

Ajit moved from his math class. He hadn’t been paying attention. Like that professor could teach him anything at all. He hated when Bo suggested they do school again. But Bo has made this undead life easier. He moved towards the restroom. He looked at his neck in the mirror. Every bloody morning he had to sew it on or have sewed on. Frank even tried superglue once, staples, and host of other things, even industrial grade epoxy. But every morning his head would be sitting on his desk and he had to stumble over and pick it up and sew it on; after that he had to airbrush it with make-up to look like a tattoo or to hide it. Depending on his mood and the mask he created for that year. Right now he decided to go with the tattoo. He was the bad boy whose ambition was to become a police officer and was majoring in Criminal Justice. He frowned at that thought again. Damn Ewan for winning the battle to be the police detective in this town. Seriously Ajit was sure the bastard cheated but couldn’t prove it. He yawned as he slipped into his introduction to forensics class. This one wasn’t so bad but he knew all this. He was in fact a forensic scientist before this last up and move. They didn’t really age, except with some finely placed make-up or spells (he really hated spells they made he furious after all he wasn’t a witch and got beheaded because of the fear of witchcraft), so they moved a lot. Every twenty years or so. He sat down in the back and just tried to stay awake.

Ajit went and met Ewan after school. He called them ride-a-longs but really they were going over ways to keep people from finding about the monsters. Ewan may be a cheating bastard when it came to picking who would get what lot in the move, but he and Ajit were a lot alike. Ajit would even hazard a guess that if he had lived in Scotland when Ewan was around they would have been warriors together. But Ajit hadn’t. He had been born elsewhere and had been a gun for hire. However both had similar lots in life and they ‘bonded’ over that, and really Ewan was an easy guy to get along with… when he wasn’t cheating.

“You are still trying to figure out a way to say I cheated?” Ewan asked as he gave him a few forms of paperwork to help him forge.”

“You did cheat. I just have to figure out how you did it!” Ajit stated as he started going over the paperwork and figuring out how he had to forge it. One thing about being a monster was it give you time to really learn some skills. Most monsters figured out how to force a talent in art and forgery. After all it came in handy when they had to make new papers up.

“Like you didn’t try and cheat? You pulled your head off and threw it across the finish line of one of the races!”

“Yeah so what? You put your head on your whip and chucked it over the wall!”

“Okay so the two of us in an obstacle course is who can cheat with their head the most times.”

“We should have just drown sticks like the docs of the group did. But no us blue color types had to come up with The Undead Olympic Games.”

Ewan laughed. “Yeah well they shouldn’t have allowed us all to get drunk and pick how we were going to decided who did what when we moved.”

“And we still haven’t changed the way we do it in centuries.”

“Where is the fun in that Ajit? Where is the fun in that?”

Ajit chuckled and went back to the paperwork he was doing. After all it was quite important. With Halloween upon them there was always more work to do. It is like the Monster New Year to be honest. Parties, murder, death, mayhem and destruction. Par for the course actually to be honest. Some like to spread their rituals out, others have to do it on certain days, but those with a choice tend to do it around Halloween. Probably because the veil is the thinnest on Halloween, the Witches’ New Year, the day the dead walk the planes again visiting family and friends; there is a lot of power and magic in the air during Halloween. No matter how much Ajit hated magic, he could never deny that Halloween even the mundane humans could taste and have their own rituals on that day. Even if he had seen it become commercialized with candy and trick or treating. It still had that taste and essence with the Jack O’ Lanterns, and the monster costumes to scare of the evil spirits. Never actually worked, though once upon a time if the pumpkins had been spelled right they could trap a harmful spirit until the pumpkin rotted and released it back to hell. Yeah, Halloween was power, and that is why he had to kill an evil being upon that day to keep his immortality and not join the evil beings in hell.

Ajit left the station to go home to an empty house. He sighed. Sometimes he envied those who had people in their lives. He had chosen to live alone but sometimes he envied people like Sam and Bleu who found someone to share their lives with. He knew that he wasn’t the best of person to live with, but sometimes it was a lonely existence. He shook his head. Halloween season was here and he had to choose when he was going to take his victim. He had to find his victim. He had a few ideas. There was a couple boys in town that got away with assaulting a couple of girls in town. Well, the court systems gave them slaps on the wrist and let them chill in the country club prison for a couple of months before releasing them and letting them come back to the school. After all they were young and why should one mistake ruin their lives. Ajit snorted. Men who hurt women were some of the lowest in his opinion. Those who hurt kids being the only scum lower. Ajit looked at the schedules he had made of the two ‘men’ that he was going to go after this season. He saw they both were to be at a party a couple of days from now. That would work. He smirked. Well, there his victims and his plans.

A couple of nights later Ajit was standing at the same party as his victims. He moved over toward where the two of them were trying to chat up some girls. “This party really kinda blows. I know a party were the girls are much easier. And it isn’t far from here.”

The two boys looked at him. “Really? Lead the way!” They exclaimed and jumped up basically spilling their beer over their shirts.

Ajit gave a spooky smile. “Follow me boys.” He laughed as he moved through the party goers. He got into his mustang. He always had to have a steed, even if it was in the form of a metal steed. He used to chance his victims, and still sometimes does, but most of the time now he can get them to follow him. After all find their weakness, find their vice, and expolit it. That is the way of living this undead life. Soon he had them lead into the woods.

“Man where are all the girls at?” One of them asked.

“Yeah, you promised girls!” The other yelled.

Ajit moved and ripped his head off and then turned to them. “For your crimes against humanity, you are now to be punished!”

The boys screamed and tried to run but Ajit was right behind them with his sword in his hand. After all Ajit had been doing this for centuries. He got up behind one and swung and the boy’s head hit a tree with a sickening thud as his body ran a few more steps before falling to the ground. The other boy screamed and tried to run faster. He made it to the road were the cars were. He got into the car and took off.

Ajit laughed as he got into his steed, his head was sitting on the dash, and went after him. His car was faster and soon he was upon the other boy and he threw his sword just right through the windshield and the boy’s head was disconnected from his body as he crashed his car into a bank of trees. Ajit stopped his car, picked up his head and got out and went to the other car and pulled his sword out of the seat, he smirked at the boy’s head that lay on the ground in the passenger seat. “Justice has been served.” He stated as he walked back and got into his car, he did a quick sew on of his head so he could drive home. He knew Ewan would clean up the mess, but hey, they all helped Ewan many of times before and this time he was the detective after all. His job was to clean up their messes. Ajit laughed outloud as he pulled into his drive and dialed Ewan’s number on his cell. “That is what you get for cheating old boy.” He stated and then hung up as he locked his door and fell across his bed and let the feeling of satisfaction lead him into a deep sleep.

Day Twenty-Two Monster University: Jo

Jo
Monster University
Katherine Rochholz
All Rights Reserved

 
 
            “I love being young. In fact I was always obsessed with youth and immorality. I love being what I am. I was once known as Elizabeth Báthor. I don’t miss those days. Trying to prevent me from drinking and bathing in the blood of my victims; tsk tsk tsk. Like they could keep me caged to my ‘death’ in a tower. Those lovely virgins made me young. It made me immortal. But of course I was betrayed. Of course, always betrayed. Betrayed by my lover. Okay, so I cheated on him a lot. And that was all hidden under the rug in those days but come on! I wasn’t made to be a one man woman. And I was made to be young and beautiful forever and ever! I made to many deals to become immortal and beautiful forever. After all, locked up in my own castle I had nothing but time to learn how to summon demons and make many deals with death, demons, Satan, whatever you want to call them. They gave me what I wanted. Young and gorgeous forever! I became hell on heels; and love my undead life. I became what is now known as a succubus! I love it.  And my bar in this lovely little college town shall sustain me for decades! Okay I may be trying to hard… I am bored as hell…”
            Jo looked up when her door opened. “Hey, Kat.” She greeted her friend. If another woman understood not being tied down and living a free life it would be the voodoo priestess. “How can I help you today?”
            “You haven’t been coming out with me.” Kat stated with a pout as she sat down on the couch in front of Jo’s desk.
            “I have been busy and have my victim trapped in the web. You know my process Kat. Half my power comes from the supposed relationship with my male victims. My female victims is mostly about the blood and death.”
            Kat nodded. “Fine. Look I was wondering if you want to go out tonight?”
            “I can’t. I am shorthanded since Draco decided that he had to go and kill the girl again. And I am stuck with a bird out on my damn fence.”
            “Oh please if you aren’t a monster or a kid you can’t see the ugly mug. Don’t worry about it. Now come on! I could give you one of my slaves?”
            “No. I need people with brains, not that want to eat brains.”
            Kat laughed. “Oh that is good, need with brains not that eat.” Kat started to laugh harder. “That is perfect! You should make that a motto!”
            Jo rolled her eyes. “Glad you think I am funny Kat. Now if you will please leave! I have to get this paperwork done! And then I have to run the bar tonight. I should hire some local students to bus, of course I do have an issue keeping them.” She smirked at her own private joke. “They just seem to disappear!”
            Kat laughed as she stood. “Later Countess.”
            Jo rolled her eyes and waved her away as she went back to her paperwork. She never had a problem with paperwork. After all she ran her husband’s kingdom for the whole time she was killing and bathing in the blood of the innocent. Please she wasn’t the only one. Her whole trial was a political cover up. The people they were really upset that were dead were the lovers of her brothers, father, and her husband. She had killed them being petty she would admit but they deserved everything they got. Especially her husband’s lover. She had made her strip and then stand naked in the middle of a blizzard. During which Jo would walk out and whip her and let the blood fall upon the snow. That woman was the only one she never drank from. She didn’t want her tainted blood near her. After all she wasn’t her husband’s only lover, just the only one Jo had caught him with. The woman froze to death. And then Jo had thrown her body over the top of the tower with a giant bloody red A sewn into her chest. Her husband was a lot more discrete after that. Jo shook herself from her thoughts and stood up and grabbed her jacket. Time to hire some more waitresses and waiters. After all a few were going to go missing soon.
            A bit later she was sitting in a coffee shop doing interviews.  She rolled her eyes. College kids all the same. Thinking working in the bar that is known to not ID or get in trouble for it, would be easy and fun! It was a lot of work and she wanted people who would actually work for the time that she kept them. Some she kept of course. She didn’t kill all of them. That would be noticeable if everybody went missing. Just a few here or there. Most of the time they were middle the road or lower road in classes and thus most thought they dropped out and went home. She ended up hiring about a dozen new workers. She yawned as she went home to her current boy toy. She smirked. He was tasty. Of course, he would have to be upgraded soon. Unlike Kat, she didn’t keep her toys around or have more than one at a time. She may be a succubus but she still had only one lover at a time. Balancing more than one was too much work and as long as he could satisfy her monster she didn’t need more than one. She smirked as she beckoned her toy over to her.
            Jo lay in bed that night and sighed. She used to have so much fun with torture and mayhem. She still enjoyed sex, drugs and rock n roll. But the torturing and the bathing and drinking of blood was getting so boring! She would lure her victims into her meat locker, hook them up, dissect them alive, bath in their blood and drink some and then well… her beef wasn’t always beef. She sighed again as she got up. She didn’t need much sleep. She moved into her study. She looked at the portraits of her in her years. She wasn’t as old as some monsters but she was powerful. Her dealings those years locked in her castle were good for something other than immortality and beauty. She was still vain. But her idea of beauty transformed with the decades. And thankfully with magic when she went through her tattoo phases she could remove them with the pain and scaring. But she still had a few right now. Right now she thought leather and bikes were quite hot. She looked in the mirror. She knew she looked good. And she knew even if her life was getting a little boring she would continue to do her rituals. She had too, to die or grow old was not allowed. She sat at her desk and ran her hand down her journals of years gone by as she got lost in thought.
            It was a few weeks later that she kept some of her staff back for a party. She smirked and flirted and even took a few of the guys into the back for some private party time. But in the end she was standing in her meat locker with the girls and boys all gasping for breath as she placed the hooks through their lungs.  She stripped and started to slice their major arteries. She didn’t dance as she normally did, but she did drink the blood and immersed herself into the blood and lay there as if in a bath. The blood in her years and all but her mouth and nose submerged.  She sighed and tried to relax.  After about an hour she stood and unplugged the drain of the tub she had set up to catch the blood. She moved and quickly cut the humans up and ground them up into her famous ground beef.  She cleaned up and then went home.  She laid in bed that night hoping that something happened to change this monotony of her undead existence. But she would rather this cursed boring life than to find out what awaited her in the afterlife. Maybe something would soon be set into action. She could only hope…

Day Twenty-One Monster University: Abe

Abe
Monster University
Katherine Rochholz
All Rights Reserved

  
            “I was supposed to take after my father. I was supposed to avenge his death. I was a Van Helsing! I was forced to train. Forced to the be the smartest. The strongest. The best! If I failed in any task my father gave me then I would be beaten to an inch of my life and told to be better. It was horrible. But I knew no other life. I was trained to kill them. To kill the enemy. To kill the monsters. But then I went to school with them. They accepted me. Became friends. I found my father was the monster. He raised me to be nothing but a monster. So I confessed all to them. They still accepted me. They gave me a secret to immorality. Eat the hearts of twenty virgins and sacrifice six whores every fifty years. I was the great Jack the Ripper. I don’t do much more than I need.  I spread out my 20 virgins. Pity they have to be virgins at time of death. It would be fun to seduce them. But there are so many other ‘freshman’ to claim. I wonder about my father at times. But I found my own path. And they are my friends. My family. I couldn’t kill them.”
            Abe looked up when the door opened. “Hey, Hal! How goes the TA spot?”
            “Good. I don’t have to be a freshman like Drake, Frank, Lucas and Cameron so it is good. What did you decide on for a major this time?”
            “Medical.” Abe smirked. “Maybe next move I can be the doc in town.”
            “Yeah, Beth lucked out this time.”
            “Oh be careful, Eddie is out running around.”
            “John.  His name is John this time.  Henry’s picking.”
            “And Henry is Gabriel. And there is a female duo like them I hear. I hear that John is besooted.”
            Hal laughed.  “Have a good day Abe.  I am going to get some sleep before the next class! The week off for the missing and found dead students went by to quickly!”
            Abe smiled and then went back to his planning. He had to do a Jack The Ripper type spree again. Then disappear. He smirked. He remembered his own father trying to hunt him and Abe stood along side of him. It wasn’t long after that his father was killed and Abe could stop pretending to be the devoted son; he only remained by his side to help his fellow monsters escape his father’s insanity. He looked down. No problems. He would just drive to a larger city that had more violence. After all there was a huge city only about an eight hour drive away. And that town was only focused on baseball right now. Abe smirked. The first trip would be tonight. He grabbed his coat and left.
            A car pulls up and the door opens, the young women of ill repute gets in. There is a figure driving, their hood is up the woman can’t see the strangers face, they pull off the road after about 45 minutes, the car the woman notices is an old beater, black with no license plate but she still got in now she is wondering if it was a good idea. “Okay for full service it will be 250 dollars” the woman tells the figure. There is no response instead the figure gets out and comes around to open the door, the young woman gets out and follows the figure and says “okay it can be done here.” She is about a hundred yards from the car now and notices that nobody is around if she didn’t need the money she would never have been out here, but she undresses and waits. The figure walks behind her and she heard a rustle of paper then felt a searing pain she is stabbed in the back and she screams but nobody can hear her here, she is so far away from life, she is being stabbed over and over she only hears the figure counting, wishing she had never got in the car was her last thoughts and the last thing she heard was nineteen… And her own scream though out the night air, which was cold so cold even though the temperature was in the seventies.
Abe walked back to the car and strips down and puts all the cloths in the back then walked over to the river and washes his hands and then walked back to the car and opened the trunk took out a bag, put the other in, and got dressed with the clean clothes. Abe got into the car and drove away, after about thirty minutes he pulled to the side of the rode took the bag of clothes out of the trunk and threw it into the bin where the homeless men sat around trying to put together a fire, he threw in a bottle worth of lighter fluid then threw the bottle in. Abe smirked as he lit a match and threw it in. He got back in his car and left. He may be a man who has to ritually kill; but he wouldn’t ever be caught. And though sometimes he uses Ewan and Tony, there is something satisfying about cleaning up after one’s self. He smiled the whole way back home.
Abe got restless as nothing is reported. Of course nothing was really reported any of his other times either when he kills the six. He had asked when he first took this path of immortality why twenty virgins and six whores. The answer he got was that virgins represent purity. The number twenty was important because of his age at the time. And the six because five to represent the pentagram and the sixth to fill it with blood. He discovered a lot of it centered around the ancient symbol of protection. It stated that they used it to protect their immorality. It warped the reason behind it and turned it into their own. It is still used for many things today, protection in the Wicca and Pagan religions and well the introverted one is well known. He moved back toward the city.  He smirked as he found his second victim.  He smirked as he pulled up to pick her up.
Half an hour later he had severed the throat using two precise cuts and then partly ripped open her abdomen causing a deep jagged wound. He smirked. He could see the articles about Jack The Ripper Reincarnated! Ha! It had happened before during his other killings. He made some other cuts in the abdomen and yawned as he cleaned up again tossing his bloody clothes into a drum and setting them on fire. He made his way home in record time. Next time he would kill two.
Abe only waited a week before going back. The first victim of the night he just made one clear cut incision across her main artery on the left side of her neck and let her bleed out on the ground not far from her corner. He had always done the third victim quickly. It threw people of the trail, well it used to before they started to call him The Ripper Copycat. He quickly found his second victim of the night. He smirked as he did two cuts to the throat, one of each side, it made it seem like the throat was smiling. He laughed at that. Okay he was a psycho but he was the product of his father’s upbringing. He then slashed open her abdomen and removed the uterus. He burned it with his clothes. It was ritual now. When he first took it he had been looking into rituals for another monster friend of his and they were using different organs in the potions to see if it caused different outcomes. There tests so far had failed and been dropped. He may pick it up again. He knew how Morgan wanted a child and if he figured out how to allow natural motherhood for the monsters they would be a lot happier in their unlife. He went home and passed out.
He waited a week before he went back to the city. He found his victim and cut her throat and ripped open her abdomen and took the left kidney and most of the uterus. He looked at the organs. He wrapped them up and took them back with him after burning his clothes.  He went to his lab. The most promising was when part of the uterus and the kidney were used. The other one that showed promise was when they used the heart.  Perhaps he should try mixing the two. He put the parts he took in stasis and next week when he took the heart of his last victim he would try again. After all a monster had to do something to keep from being bored for eternity.
The next week he was back and found his final victim. He slit the throat down to the spine and cut her open, he threw most of the organs out of the body and then cut out the heart. Once he was finished he felt the jolt of power he felt every time he did the ritual. It let him know it worked and he still protected his immorality. He took his prize, the heart, burnt his cloths and went home.  He went into his lab and started trying to combine the potions. He wouldn’t say anything to Morgan unless he thought it had a chance. After all it would completely change the monster world if monsters could have natural born children. It would change the world. And perhaps the undead eternity ahead of them may just be a bit happier and a bit more entertaining. Abe smirked as he set to work. Even if he might not be successful this time around; he would make progress. And he completed his ritual successfully. It was a good year.

Day Twenty Monster University: Gus

Gus
Monster University
Katherine Rochholz
All Rights Reserved

 


            “Mmmm… young flesh is so much better than the older.  I have more blood on this journal than ink! Ha! I should write in blood I think! Though with Ian and Drake draining bodies I don’t get a lot of blood.  But the lovely flesh! I am glad I can skip being the student this time.  Working in the morgue as the ME and owning the local funeral homes, let’s me be not only useful but also gives me my fill of flesh!  Being a ghoul isn’t so bad.  It could be worse.  Yes I have to hide my pale white skin and I have to eat flesh to continue to exist but at least I don’t have to put my head back on daily!  Mmmm… flesh…. Should wipe off the blood drops but eh… And I don’t actually have to go out and kill. Thought I have before. Every so often I will find a perfect victim that I must have… mmm… this one is sweet… Perhaps their family is just as sweet…”
            Gus looked up when the doors opened.  “Oh hey Tony!  No fishes for this one?”
            “Nah, to noticeable.  College professor.  Ewan is making it look random.  Will shoot a homeless guy more than likely as the perp.”  Tony shrugged.
            Gus chuckled.  “This town isn’t so bad.  We were able to get someone in each role needed.  Though Ajit is still upset he has to take classes and not be the detective this time.”
            “Yes, well I am guessing that won’t last long. This is an important year for a lot of monsters.” Ewan stated. “Do a blood test on her huh?”
            “Sure will do. But it may be a while to get back.” Gus bent to sniff the woman and recoiled back. “What the hell?”
            Ewan stood up straight then. “What?”
            “This woman smells horrible. And I don’t mean the standard way most mortals do alive or dead, but horrible like I wouldn’t want to touch the flesh and I am a damn ghoul!”
            Ewan tilted his head. “Take samples. Of everything. Send it to Beth. She will know what to do.”
            “Got it Ewan! See yah later!” Gus finished his meal and then started to take samples from one Professor Sheldon.
            Gus finished his shift and sighed as he went to his home. He looked over the books that lined his rooms. He was once a prince, well prince like, his mother was a witch who had the town bowing at her feet. Gus took advantage of this and partook in all the sins of the flesh. Funny how that is how he survives. His mother upon being betrayed cursed him with life everlasting. The cost would be to eat the flesh of mere mortals. Which to her was everybody but herself. His mother was a witch and a half and is probably burning in hell. Not that Gus ever wanted to find out if hell or heaven was real but chances are when the end came he would be joining his mother in whatever punishment awaited him at the end of times. He had taken his own samples as well as sending some off to Beth and he was hoping to get some answers. Never, and he means never had a body smelled so horrible to him since he became a ghoul. Before yeah, dead bodies smelled. But after? After all he wanted to do was eat them and this one he didn’t even want to touch with a fifty foot pole, let alone be in the same room with the body. He put the samples into his lab and went to bed. He knew there would be long days ahead shortly.
            Gus was right he did have long days. Tony took vacation, Bleu needed help with gaining a bride. Sam, gained a bride. Erik burnt down a theater. Seriously someone times Gus wondered how Bo kept everything straight in his mind. Gus was thankful he just had to help with the clean-up. He had been hoping to check out those samples from Sheldon but every time he got a moment he had to do something else. Clean up another body. Do another funeral. Only good thing that came out of it was the fact he got blood and flesh. Mostly the flesh. He also got a lot of flesh from Drake when he broke the curse on himself. He had a feeling with him starting to go through is transformation into an Incubus there would be more bloodless bodies shortly. Gus sighed as he worked overtime and did what he could to help his fellow monsters. After all without some of them he would have been killed.
            His mother had cursed him, trying to make him a vampire but it failed. The town people had tried to burn him alive after they had burned his mother for being a witch. But in the crowd were a group of monsters and they saved him and helped him through his transformation and then through controlling his need for flesh. He was mindless for so long and instead of killing him they took care of him. He was just repaying the favor. And that is why he needed to be able to help Beth with finding out about these samples. So far Beth had been coming up blank and so had Frank. It was strange. He knew it was something specific to this corpse because Sophie, the precious Frankenstein Princess, didn’t smell horrible. She smelt of monster. So he took a couple of days and told everybody he was not to be disturbed.
            Three days and many tests later he still didn’t have an answer. He sighed. It was time for a hunt. It would clear his head. He was a ghoul after all and though ghouls mostly feasted off the dead to make sure they could survive their undead life, sometimes a good hunt was needed. It was a huge myth that they only went for children, infants and the weak and old. They went for anybody who smelt sweet! And with that Gus dressed all in black and made his way through the town.  He followed the sweet smell of blood. It reminded him of a victim of one of the others, that he thought about looking for the family. It seemed there was a family! He moved and found the house. There were two teens and two adults.  They all smelt heavenly to him.  He waited until they went to bed. Well, all but the mother was in bed. She was in the shower.  He moved quickly and slit the throat of the husband drinking in his blood.  He would come back for the flesh.  He thought about killing the teens as well but he didn’t need to be a glutton. He moved toward the bathroom.
            “Honey?” The woman stuck her soapy head out. “Is that you?”
            Gus smirked. “No.” He gave a raspy reply before he attacked her.  Her screams were music to his ears as he ripped her to pieces.  He ate from her still living body, before draining her. He licked his lips and moved down the hall to see if the children woke.  They hadn’t. Thank the higher powers for headphones.  He went back and skinned the husband and packed the flesh way to be dried and ate like jerky over the next couple weeks.  He went back to the wife and filled himself on her soft flesh before leaving a bloody trail through the house.  He stopped and made a phone call at a payphone to inform Ewan and then went home.
            As he was drying the skin and making his jerky a thought struck him.  There were many, many natural herbs that monsters hated if they were mixed the right way. So he went and checked the blood again looking for specific herbs like mistletoe and mint. And sure enough there it was! She had to be shooting a potion into her system to make her blood and flesh unappealing to monsters.  But why? Because of who the father of Sophie was? Because it would be painful as hell to take the daily shots. The ingredients would almost burn the veins if it wasn’t for the Witch Hazel and other cooling balms.  He called and left Beth a messaged and his theory. Because nobody, no matter how much they hated monsters, would do that to themselves. He smiled to himself as he laid down, his hunger and curiosity satisfied.
           

Day Nineteen Monster University: Erik

Erik
Monster University
Katherine Rochholz
All Rights Reserved


            “I put on my mask every day. This mask that hides who I am. I don’t know if I know who I am anymore. After a while the mask becomes you. You don’t know where you stop and the mask begins or the mask stops and you begin. After this long you become the mask and lose yourself to the monster within. To break this curse I need to gain ‘true love’ no matter what I look like.  Seriously true love is things of fairy tales. And what woman is going to care about me when I am nothing but a killer. I stalk my prey, I learn them, I love them, and then I drain their life force by setting them on fire. It gives me a satisfaction that I never had in life. Of course it could be because I was killed in a fire by the fiancé of the woman I loved. But I have always had a fascination for fire, from the first that disfigured me in life, to the one that took my life. Unlike most of my friends I never changed my name. It is the only part of me I can have that is mine anymore. My faces, my masks, never are; so I control things where I can. And when I find my next victim I want her to know who is taking her life.”
            Erik put out the flame he was playing with as he had to head into class.  He was eyeing all the women. Two years at this college and he hadn’t yet found the perfect person to give him his next boost of power. To keep him young forever. He wasn’t handsome under his masks.  But they never saw behind the masks. Never would. Because behind the masks there is nothing but evil. He sighed as he looked over the most recent class of newbies. He was a TA just like Hal.  It was the best way to find what they needed and to gain the trust of their choice victim or victims. Except where Hal’s class was History under Ian, damn bloody incubus, Erik was a theater TA. He smirked at that. No matter what he seemed he couldn’t get away from theaters. After all burning them down was just as empowering as killing his chosen victims. He sat down with a bored expression on his face. They were actually going over the play of his mortal life. He hated that play. Even if he sold the story it to gain some money long before he meet the ‘Brotherhood of Monsters!’ That wasn’t the real name of course. Bleu calls it Monsterhood, Lucas calls it pack, Frankie calls it family, etcetera, etcetera. Erik yawns as he sits in front of the class and spaces out as the teacher lectures about the production they will be doing of the Phantom of the Opera.
            He didn’t even lift his head until he heard a honey voice ask if there would be auditions or assignments. He looked at the woman. She reminded him a lot of Christine. She had the same honey voice. His story had been given a somewhat happy ending in the play but to be honest that is not how things happened. Nope there was no happy ending, he blew up the whole damn place and burned Christine alive for trying to leave him. He tilted his head. And answered for the professor. “We have been watching you these weeks and have assigned you all a part. You will be notified at the end of class.”
            The professor nodded. He hadn’t wanted to do auditions but didn’t know how to state he didn’t bloody care. He had to do this play because it was a request of the dean. He honestly didn’t care for the play at all either. He knew his TA was less than thrilled as well. “That is correct. Erik will be handing out the parts. If you have questions please go to him during his office hours.”
            Erik smirked and handed out the titles of the characters stopping next to one Haley Chriss. “Here you are Christine.” He gave a charming smile.
            “Thank you Erik.” She smiled back at him before her boyfriend came over and glared at Erik.
            “Ready to go babe?”
            “Yes Ralph. Let’s go.” She rolled her eyes.
            Over the following weeks the class rehearsed and then they were going to put on a one night show for the school. Erik’s plan however was to kill Ralph and Haley.  He smiled and hummed as he set the stage for the grand finale. He had everything planned. Tonight was the first time in a long time he found the perfect victims. He could have tried to get Haley to love him but what was the fun in that? After all love was a fairy tale… one that would never be for him.

            Haley takes about deep breath as she enters the stage starting out reconnecting with her childhood friend and going through the steps of falling in love and becoming engaged. Through the moments of the phantom preforming malevolent acts. Especially when the person who was set to play Carlotta is almost killed by the stage prop. What the audience doesn’t know is that Erik did really try to kill her, but alas it wasn’t meant to be.

Through Haley playing the kidnap victim. Which Erik played the phantom. He really did take Haley and tie her up. Forced her to view him. Taking off his masks to show her what truly lay behind the mask of her beloved TA. When he is unmasked Haley gets to behold his noseless, lipless, sunken-eyed face which resembles a skull dried up by the centuries, covered in yellowed dead flesh. However Haley thinks it is make up and fakes her screams of terror. When Erik goes to force his ring on her; he really does force the same gold band he forced upon Christine a long time ago. It would start the draining of her soul, and when he placed it back upon his finger he would gain her life force and the life force of Ralph as well.
The audience gets into the play, as Ralph promises his leading lady to take her far from the monster. But Christine can’t be run off. She is going to give one last show. Erik takes her and has Ralphy boy strapped up to the ‘bomb’ and soon is telling her to marry him. Telling her to be his. However that is not going to happen. Christine isn’t in love with this Erik and this Haley isn’t really in love with Erik. Haley may be in lust with the mask but never in love. And Erik wasn’t in the mood to care. Hundreds of years hasn’t thawed his heart from that betraying witch of his Christine.  Erik steels a kiss outside of his masks. He steals the show. As he makes it look like that Ralph has started a fire. And it burns the theater. He makes it show like there is a malfunction and Haley goes and runs to try to save Ralph. Her love. But Erik traps them. He puts up a show and a half to try to save them getting ‘burned’ in the process. But nothing can save them. Soon the theater is burning to the ground and the firefighters are trying to put it out and Erik is being rushed to the hospital for burns. Thankfully Beth is on duty.
The next day the terrible news comes. Haley Chriss and Ralph Persia were killed in the fire. Erik Gaston was injured horribly but expected to make a full recovery.
Erik was out that day from the hospital and at the scene of the fire. He moved to see the bodies. He smirked. He bent down and grabbed the golden ring putting it back on his finger. “Sorry Christine dear, you should have just loved me so many centuries ago. I mean, your reincarnations are just as honey voiced as you were. Oh you didn’t think I knew?” He rolled his eyes. “One day you will become my ‘living’ bride. No matter what you think. No matter this curse. But right now there is just too much satisfaction killing you and your current lover.” Erik kicked the body of Ralph and placed a kiss on the skull of Haley’s head. “No matter the love I feel for you, my need for vengeance against my death and cursed existence is too great. I am sorry my love.”
At the funeral for Haley Chriss Erik limps up playing up his wounds and places one piece of paper in the coffin. For those who know Erik they know what it states. For those who don’t they think it is just a good bye. Erik left as they lowered the coffin. The paper lay in her hands and upon it in French it stated: ‘Christine has once again died. Erik once more grieves in his undead life.’

Day Eighteen Monster University: Gabriel And John


Gabriel And John
Monster University
Katherine Rochholz
All Rights Reserved 

            “I have long since been accustomed to being two people.  WE ARE NOT TWO PEOPLE! WE WERE BORN ONE!  Edward, we were split.  HENRY, IT WAS UNNATURAL! WE ARE ONE! We were conjoined Edward, then when we split so I could marry you killed me in a blind rage.  I COULDN’T BE DISCONNECTED FROM YOU! AND THE GUILT CONSUMED ME! SO I CONSUMED YOU TO MAKE YOU PART OF ME ONCE MORE!  And that lead to this immortal life Edward.  We can only get by most of the time as normal because I am dominant most of the time.   YOU ARE OLDER.  MAKES SENSE.  YOU ARE MY BROTHER. Yes, I am aware. Yes we are brothers, together forever.  YOU TAKE CARE OF ME; I PROTECT YOU.  KILL THREATS TO US.  Yes, Edward.”
            “Look, I really wouldn’t make me angry.”  Gabriel said to the football player poking him the chest.
            “Oh please, you will do my paper, I will get an A, I will play football, and you won’t die.”
            Gabriel barely got out a sigh before John took over.  John smirked.  “You think so little man?”  The football player’s eyes widened as John filled out and stood taller.  Moments later there was a bleeding lump of former football player on the ground.  John bounced off.  It had been so long since he wreaked any havoc and chaos!
            ‘So long my ass. You just tried to come out when another football player tried to beat us up.’
            ‘YES, WELL YOU WOULDN’T LET ME.’
            ‘For good reasons John!’
            ‘STILL HATE THESE NEW NAMES. BUT I KNOW I GET IT WE NEED NEW NAMES TO GET BY IN SOCIETY.’
            Gabriel sighed. ‘Good John. Good. Try not to wreak to much havoc.’
            John smiled and stopped outside of the boxing ring. “Let’s get some fun in!”  He went into the gym. “The first person to bring me down wins a thousand dollars!” John yelled.
            The builders of the gym all smirked and slammed their firsts into their palms. “Let’s go little boy!”
            Two hours later John was whistling as he wiped the blood off his knuckles. “Who are the little boys now?” He smirked as he took all the money in the place and bounced out.
            ‘Did you have to rob the place?’
            ‘OF COURSE! THEY LOST! I WON!’ John laughed as he walked down the street. He was having a good time. It wasn’t often he got free. He stopped when he heard a giggle. He swung around. “Who are you?”
            The young woman smiled. “My name is Maria.”
            “Why were you giggling Maria?”
            “Well, I was giggling at something my inner self stated.”
            “Inner self? You mean like a sister?”
            Maria laughed. “Yeah, she is my older sister. Killed her I did about five years ago. Then I ate her.  She disconnected us. She cut us up just for love!”
            John smiled. “My brother did the same! Now he is always in control until he gets angry enough and I can be free!”
            “Me too!” Maria laughed.
            “Want to go get into some trouble?”
            Maria smiled. “I would love too!”
            ‘You may just get love after all John.’ Gabriel whispered to him.
            John ignored his brother in favor of stealing a car and joyriding to another town. He drove the car right into a bank. “Come on Maria!” He grabbed her hand and pulled her from the wreckage.
            Maria laughed and bounced over to the vault. “I got some explosives.”
            John instead flexed his muscles. “Let me show you what I can do!” John placed his hands on each side of the vault doors and gripped them bending the metal and then pulled ripping the door off. “Well take your fill!”
            Maria grabbed a bag and started to fill the back with money as John broke open the safety deposit boxes and dumped them in another bag.  When the sirens came close John grabbed her and ran up to the roof and jumped over to the other building. He laughed as Maria moved to hang off his back. He never had such fun! Except when he went on a killing spree!
            The next morning Gabriel woke up with a moan as his body protested all the use of the muscles last night. He sat up and looked down at the woman next to him. “Hello.”
            The woman woke. “Hi. I am Anna.”
            “Nice to meet you Anna. My brother seems quite taken with your sister Maria. We hadn’t meet another set like us before.”
            “Yes, well everything works out for the best doesn’t it?”
            “It does.” Gabriel smiled. “Well I got to get ready for classes. And you?”
            “I go to school to. Majoring in Psychology.” Anna laughed.
            Gabriel smiled at her laugh. “Would you like to go to dinner tonight?”
            “I would love that.” Anna smiled. “See you then.” She gave Gabriel a kiss and grabbed her clothes and left.
            That night Gabriel found Anna waiting for him at his house. “Let me grab something and I will be back out.”
            Anna smiled. “Of course. I realized I didn’t give you my address or phone number when I left today.”
            “Oh I am sure I could have found you.”
            ‘DO NOT MESS THIS UP BROTHER! I LIKE MARIA. MARIA MINE. ANNA YOURS.’
            Gabriel ignored him in favor of grabbing the flowers he bought earlier and taking them to Anna. “I got you these.”
            Anna smiled and gave a thank you as she got into the car. “Where are we going?”
            “We aren’t going to do anything as crazy as drive three towns over and rob a bank; but I think you might have some fun.” Gabriel smiled as he drove to the next town to go to an exhibit.
            Anna got out of the car, her eyes wide at the exhibit he had gotten tickets for. “How did you get tickets to this?”
            “I have my connections.” Gabriel stated as he took her hand.
            “This is an interactive exhibit of the psychology of serial killers.”
            “I thought you would like it with your major and our inner workings. I find it fascinating. If you don’t we can go somewhere else.”
            “NO! I love it! Thank you!” Anna stated as she started to go to each booth about each of the most prolific serial killers.
            Gabriel smiled as he watched her go space to space. “This was John and I.” He pointed to a set of conjoined twins about killing fifty men in one night because of an insult.”
            “‘And they hunted them down and ripped the spines from their chests before bathing in their blood.’ A little gross on the bathing there Gabriel.”
            “Yes well they did insult John.” Gabriel shrugged. He could be just as ruthless as his brother. Even if his brother was more blood thirsty.
            “And you like the good brother protected him.”
            “Well John talked me into the bathing. I wanted to make their spines the whips to strangle them to death. They never talk about that as much as bathing and drinking the blood. This was right before we had that surgery three towns over to separate.”
            “Why did you do it?”
            “My fiancé wanted it done. I agreed because she threatened to have John killed. We were mortal once.”
            “Well I am glad John killed her. And well, I am glad for this too.”
            Gabriel smiled. “Let’s go do something fun.” He smirked as he grabbed her hand and speed off towards a higher populated town. He got out and took her hand. “You don’t mind a bit of blood right?”
            “What did you have in mind?”
            “Well you see I happen to know some very bad people live in that prison there. And well I need a new whip.”
            Anna laughed as she let him lead her into breaking into the prison. “We could get in trouble!”
            “Nah! We have our contacts Anna. Just let go!” 
            Anna was standing in the middle of the unit that Gabriel had broken into and was watching Gabriel rip the spines out and then use it to spray the blood all around them. Anna was never more happy than she was to be able to be a monster. Though sophisticated in the public light this was the true her. She smiled as the blood ran down her face.
            Gabriel looked over and smile at her. There was blood everywhere. They were bathed in it. And looking into her eyes he saw both Anna and Maria and within that his own eyes showing both himself and John. And within those reflections he found peace and a since of belonging. Everything works out for the best. And sometimes… just sometimes… Gabriel learned that John can be right about some things…